QSR Magazine: One Fast Casual Answers Panera's Kids' Menu Challenge

Panera has challenged the restaurant industry to live off of their own children's menus for a full week. According to a recent article in QSR Magazine, Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh has taken the brand up on their challenge and added a charitable twist: they will donate $1 to a children's hospital for every kids' meal purchased.

The challenge was issued in response to a trend of nutritionally empty meals being offered on many children's menus. Panera and Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh are confident that their own offerings provide a healthier, more substantial meal to young guests.

“As a parent, I’m proud that I could eat off the Panera kids menu and still enjoy delicious and wholesome meals. I’m challenging the CEOs of some of the largest companies in the industry—McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s—to personally eat exclusively from their restaurants’ kids meals for an entire week—and if not, to take a thoughtful look at what they are offering our smallest guests," said Panera founder, Ron Shaich.